1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a custom-fabricated golf club device and method. More particularly, it is an improved means to custom-fabricate golf clubs and irons to individual users in a cost effective manner, taking advantage of machining, rather than forging or casting the components. Specifically, the present invention is a means to better incorporate a golf club's "lie"--the angle that the shaft of the club, resting on the ground, makes with the horizontal. By utilizing a unique hosel to blade type weldment, and, in the preferred mode, machining a locating groove in the blade to which the hosel is joined, a wide range of lie angles with precise resolution can be achieved, where previous configurations provided for minimal adjustment. Moreover, the manufacturing techniques of the present invention diligently conform to USGA Rule 4-1a, relating to the design of clubs, which states that "Clubs other than putters shall not be designed to be adjustable except for weight."
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for golf club devices have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to the invention at hand, as well a description outlining the differences between the present invention and the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,528 by Toulon
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,528, invented by Toulon, a golf club metal-wood head includes a unitary hosel having a continuous curved bottom groove extending completely about the hosel to form a reduced bending moment region enabling the making of reliable minor adjustments in both lie and face angle of the club to achieve custom fitting to individual players.
Importantly, the Toulon patent specifically claims that "In a practical construction of the invention, the club head and hosel were constructed of stainless steel and the wall thickness in the slot is approximately 0.060 inches. With this construction the club may be readily adjusted as much as 5 degrees in either direction for club face change and 7 degrees (up or down) for lie change without concern for damaging the club head or hosel integrity."
Distinction From The Toulon Invention
The present invention utilizes weldment of the hosel and blade, wherein a locating groove is machined in the blade, which creates a far greater degree of possible adjustment to the lie of the club than is available with the Toulon device, which pertains to metal woods, contrary to CGA rules.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,155 by Wood
U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,155, invented by Wood, a hosel construction includes a plug member extending downwardly for engaging a club head having a club face. A neck member, extending angularly upwardly from the plug member, engages a shaft to complete a golf club. The neck member extends in a generally transverse dimension to determine a lie angle between the shaft and the club head. The neck member also extends in a generally longitudinal dimension to determine a longitudinal angle, such as a face angle for the club face.
Distinction From The Wood Invention
Unlike the present invention, the invention to Wood relies upon the usage of a plug member within the heel portion of the club head. In the Wood device, the plug is adapted to receive a generally cylindrical neck piece, which receives the traditional shaft, an adjustable embodiment contrary to CGA rules.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,969 by Townhill invented by Townhill, an adjustable golf club adapted to serve the functions of a plurality of golf clubs has a single easily manipulated locking device accommodating adjustment of the club length, loft and lie angle. The club has a blade with a ball striking face, a curved hosel extending from the heel of the blade, a shaft with a fitting slidably receiving the hosel, and a locking screw securing the hosel in a number of related positions to reproduce the lengths, lofts and lie angles of, for example, Nos. 2-10 irons. Indicia on the hosel registers with a window in the fitting to identify the iron number for each adjusted position.
Distinction From The Townhill Invention
The present invention is distinguishable from this prior art patent, because the patent to Townhill discloses a single adjustable club, contrary to CGA rules, that is intended to replace a full set of iron clubs rather than better custom-fabricating each club to the individual user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,994 by Chang
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,994, invented by Chang, described is a golf club head including a titanium face plate, a plurality of locating plates welded to the back side of the face plate for the positioning of the face plate in the male die section of a die, a casing molded on the face plate by pouring molten aluminum alloy in the female die section of the die, and covered over the locating plates and the back side of the face plate, wherein the face plate has a loop-like molding groove at the back side and a tapered periphery sloping outwards toward the back side for the engagement of the casing during the molding; each locating plate has a flat back section welded to the back side of the face plate, a smoothly curved springy front section for positioning in a respective locating groove on the male die section, an intermediate connecting section connected between the back section and the front section at one side, and a plurality of circular through holes at the intermediate connecting section for the passing of the molten aluminum alloy during the molding of the casing.
Distinction From The Chang Invention
Although the Chang device uses a locating groove, such is designed for usage with the conventional metal wood configuration, and can not apply to irons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,844 by Ashcraft
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,844, invented by Ashcraft, described is a golf club fitting apparatus and method which utilizes a number of different club heads, the club heads having hosel or shaft receiving bores at different angles and securing devices for releasably securing a hosel at the lower end of a golf club shaft in the bore, and a number of different shafts. The heads have different parameters such as peripheral weighting, center of gravity, and face area in addition to different bore angles. A player can select various different head and shaft combinations to test. To test each combination, the hosel at the end of the shaft is inserted in the bore, and releasably secured in position. The player then tries it out. The shaft is released, and a new combination is tested in the same manner, until an optimum fit for that particular player is found.
Distinction From The Ashcraft Invention
Unlike the present invention, the Ashcraft device is designed as a testing means for golf clubs, with a hosel removably attachable to many heads rather than said pieces welded in place for permanent usage. Accordingly, such an apparatus is contrary to CGA rules.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,184 by Maltby
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,184, invented by Maltby, described is a wood golf club head formed of nonwood material comprises a bulbous body defining a face on one side for striking a golf ball. A hosel is integrally formed with and extends from the body for attaching a golf club shaft. A soleplate defines a spherical roll sole toward the toe of the head and a runner toward the heel of the head. The runner extends generally perpendicular to the ball striking face across the body to define a sole line for the head and is ground to adjust the head for fitting a golf club incorporating the head to an individual golfer. The lie of the golf club can be adjusted by uniformly grinding the runner and/or the face angle of the golf club can be adjusted by grinding the runner to slope toward or away from the ball striking face of the head.
Distinction From The Maltby Invention
As distinguished from the present invention, which does not apply to wood or metal wood clubs, the invention by Maltby is designed specifically for usage upon wood clubs and relies on grinding a runner for lie adjustment purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,457 by Thompson
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,457, invented by Thompson, described is a system for fitting a golf club to a user-golfer and employing a fitting club having a shaft, a handle on the shaft, and a head having a face. The system includes (a) a first pivot on the golf club proximate the head to accommodate adjustment pivoting of the head relative to the shaft, and to a selected angular position about an axis extending generally transversely to the shaft, (b) and an indicator associated with pivot to indicate the extent of said adjustment pivoting, corresponding to "lie" of the head, Also provided is a second such pivot allowing adjustment pivoting of the head 90 degrees relative to the shaft and about the shaft axis, and to a position wherein the head is adjustably pivotable about the first axis, and the same indicator is thus usable to indicate adjusted head face angularity.
Distinction From The Thompson Invention
As distinguished from the present invention, the invention by Thompson discloses only a "fitting club" for a golfer to test during game conditions, the fitting club able to be adapted to the particular preferences of the golfer and then used as an example for future manufacture of custom clubs. The present invention teaches the usage of custom-fabricated clubs, designed so as not to allow adjustability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,224 by Zeider
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,224, invented by Zeider, a golf club head of the metalwood type is made from several components welded together along parting lines. A head base has a sole plate formed integrally with a heel, toe and back wall for the club, and has open front and upper faces across which a face plate and crown plate, respectively, are welded. The base, face plate and crown plate are all stamped sheet metal parts. A hosel tube projects upwardly at a desired lie angle from the base through an opening in the crown plate. The various parts are held together at selected loft and lie angles in suitable holding fixtures before being welded in place, so that heads can be custom made with different head geometries using the same basic tooling.
Distinction From The Zeider Invention
Unlike the present invention, which applies to irons and wedges, the Zeider invention describes a method of making a golf club head of the metal-wood type, which comprises the steps of stamping a head base, face plate and crown plate from sheet metal material, the head base being stamped to form a sole plate integrally with a heel, toe and back wall, and having an open front face and open top face, securing the face plate to the open front face of the base at a selected loft angle, and securing the crown plate and a hosel tube to the open top face of the base with the hosel tube projecting at any one of a range of possible lie angles from the crown plate. In the Zeider invention, the club head is designed to be more uniform and precise in its characteristics than a similar cast metal-wood club head, since cold stamped sheet metal does not have the weight variations of a cast metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,824 by Rollingson
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,824, invented by Rollingson, disclosed is a golf putter having a lie and offset adapter for selectively setting and/or adjusting the lie and offset of the putter. The adapter may comprise a spacer having a lower socket extending from a first end along a first longitudinal axis and a second socket extending from a second end along a second longitudinal axis. The length of the spacer and the orientation of the sockets are set to provide the desired lie and offset of the putter. The golf putter has a head with a face for striking a golf ball, a lower shaft segment and an upper shaft segment. The head is connected to a lower shaft segment which, in turn, is attached to the lower socket of the adapter. A lower end portion of the upper shaft segment connects to the upper socket of the adapter. Alternatively, the open end of a hosel, which extends from the putter head, may take the place of the lower shaft segment. The lie and offset of the putter are selectively set during assembly by installing an adapter configured for the desired lie and offset. The lie and offset of the putter also may be adjusted after assembly by altering or replacing the adapter.
Distinction From The Rollingson Invention
Unlike the present invention, the patent to Rollingson protects a device specifically intended for usage in conjunction with putters, and not irons and wedges
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,205 by Melanson
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,205, invented by Melanson, described is an adjustable lie angle putter having an infinite degree of adjustment between a 56.degree. and 79.9.degree. angle from the zero ground plane. The putter head has an elongated slot therein located on the upper surface of the putter with aligned boreholes in the walls of the slot. The shaft is secured to a hosel member which terminates in a tang having parallel flat sides which mate with the slot. A borehole extends through the tang between the flat sides. A pin is secured in said boreholes so as to pivotally secure said tang in said slot. The upper surface of the tang forms arcuate surfaces on opposite sides of the shaft which terminate in flat planar surfaces. The flat planar surfaces terminate in two substantially flat bearing surfaces which meet at an angle. Two threaded boreholes extend angularly through the sole of the putter into the slot and two adjustable setscrews are secured with the boreholes. When the tang is pivotably secured in the slot by the pin, the angle of the shaft may be set by rotating the tang and then securing the setscrews, each of which mates with an associated flat bearing surface. Additionally, the flat planar surfaces limit the degree of adjustment by mating with the end walls of the slot when maximum clockwise and counterclockwise pivotal movement is reached.
Distinction From The Melanson Invention
Once again, unlike the present invention, the patent to Melanson protects a device specifically intended for usage in conjunction with putters, and not irons and wedges.